Wuxi Grand Theatre by PES-Architects

By Bustler Editors|

Friday, Aug 24, 2012

Image of the main entrance plaza at night time (Photo: Jussi Tiainen)

We have received plenty of photos of the recently completed Wuxi Grand Theatre in Wuxi, China. Designed by Helsinki-based PES-Architects, the 78,000 m2 (839,600 sq ft) project was the competition-winning entry back in 2008 and is the first large scale example of Finnish design in China.

Project Description from the Architects:

Introduction

Finnish Design is internationally reknown for its concepts of clear and functional style, which meet the needs of the users from a long term perspective. The first large scale example of Finnish design in China was completed by the opening of the Wuxi Grand Theatre in April 2012. Its design was not only a question of architecture, but the whole design - from functional program to interior design, landscape design, theatre technology, lighting and acoustic design - was controlled by the PES-Architects’ team.

Birdview with the main entrance plaza in the foreground and Wuli Lake in the background (Photo: Pan Weijun)

Normally in Finland the architect holistically designs important public buildings from the client’s first thoughts to the interior design details and is in charge of coordinating the works of all special consultants. Professor Pekka Salminen, the founder of PES-Architects, and his design partner, architect Tuomas Silvennoinen, want to promote this type of “Design Thinking” in China.

View from top showing the Wuli Lake surrounding the building and the landscaping on the man-made peninsula (Photo: Pan Weijun)

Their argument is, that without a head designer with an overall understanding and knowledge of the entire design and construction process, the criterions for sustainable development cannot be realised. Time shows the long-lasting values of architecture. This is particularly important and acute in China, which is the largest construction site in the world and where all building projects are realised with astonishing speed.

The building as seen from the Wuli Lake Bridge (Photo: Kari Palsila)

Wuxi Grand Theatre

In 2008, PES-Architects won the first prize in the invited international architectural competition for Wuxi Grand Theatre. The other competitors were established and well-known practices from Germany, France, Japan and Denmark.

The main idea of Wuxi Grand Theatre is based on its location. The manmade peninsula on the northern shore area of Taihu Lake and the highway bridge nearby make this location comparable to that of Sydney Opera House. Due to this location the building is an impressive landmark, rising up to a total height of 50 meters like a big sculpture from the terraced base. Its eight gigantic roof wings stretch far over the facades, giving the building a character of a butterfly, while protecting the building from the heat of the sun.

The building as seen from the boat pier (Photo: Jussi Tiainen)

The architectural concept is unique: inside the steel wings are thousands of LED lights, which make it possible to change the colour of the wings according to the character of the performances. This is possible, because the underside of the wings is covered by perforated aluminium panels. Another special feature is the “forest” of 50 light columns, each 9 meter high, which start from the main entrance square, support the roof of the central lobby and continue outside of the lakeside entrance into the lake.

The main entrance foyer with the light columns, the transparent roof and the butterfly door handles on the main entrance doors. (Photo: Kari Palsila)

There is a strong Chinese feature that runs throughout the whole building: the large scale use of bamboo which is both a traditional and a modern Chinese material. Recently new methods for the production and use of bamboo have made it possible to cover the Main Opera Auditorium with over fifteen thousand solid bamboo blocks, all individually shaped according to acoustic needs and architectural image.

The lake side lobby of the main auditorium. This elevated space is providing great views over the Wuli Lake. The auditorium is accessed via bamboo balconies. The curved auditorium wall is covered with a custom designed glass brick wall. (Photo: Kari Palsila)

There is also a material with a Finnish character: almost twenty thousand specially designed glass bricks cover the curved wall of the opera auditorium in the lakeside lobby. Finnish nature, lakes and ice, were the architectural inspiration.

The glass brick wall in the main auditorium lake side lobby is made of 20.000 glass bricks with a wave pattern relating to the surrounding lake and to the curved bamboo block wall inside the auditorium. (Photo: Kari Palsila)

Earlier references of PES-Architects international projects include St Mary’s Concert Hall in Germany and Helsinki-Vantaa Airport in Finland. In China, a mix-use 192m high-rise building in is currently under construction in the city of Chengdu, the result of a first prize in an international architectural competition in 2009.

To emphasize the experience of being 8 years in China design and construction market, PES-Architects in Autumn 2011 opened the Chinese design company PES-Architects Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.

Shanghai Institute for Architectural Design and Research SIADR, Shanghai

The lake side lobby of the small auditorium. This elevated space is providing great views over the Wuli Lake. The auditorium is accessed via two levels which are connected by a suspended spiral staircase. The entrance wall to the auditorium is covered with special designed CNC cut stone blocks relating to the angulated black brick wall inside the auditorium. (Photo: Jussi Tiainen)

HVAC design Finland:

Climaconsult: Harri Ripatti

HVAC design China:

SIADR, Shanghai

Lighting design Finland:

Valoa Design: Roope Siiroinen, Marko Kuusisto

Lighting design China:

Enjoy, Shanghai

The side balcony of the small auditorium. The material for the wall is black GRG, and the balconies are made of solid bamboo. (Photo: Jussi Tiainen)

At night time the perforated wing surfaces expose the space truss structures of the wings. The color of the LED lighting is changeable so that the building has a different appearance on different performance nights. (Photo: Jussi Tiainen)

Wuxi Grand Theatre by PES-Architects

By Bustler Editors|

Friday, Aug 24, 2012

Share

Related

We have received plenty of photos of the recently completed Wuxi Grand Theatre in Wuxi, China. Designed by Helsinki-based PES-Architects, the 78,000 m2 (839,600 sq ft) project was the competition-winning entry back in 2008 and is the first large scale example of Finnish design in China.

Project Description from the Architects:

Introduction

Finnish Design is internationally reknown for its concepts of clear and functional style, which meet the needs of the users from a long term perspective. The first large scale example of Finnish design in China was completed by the opening of the Wuxi Grand Theatre in April 2012. Its design was not only a question of architecture, but the whole design - from functional program to interior design, landscape design, theatre technology, lighting and acoustic design - was controlled by the PES-Architects’ team.

Birdview with the main entrance plaza in the foreground and Wuli Lake in the background (Photo: Pan Weijun)

Normally in Finland the architect holistically designs important public buildings from the client’s first thoughts to the interior design details and is in charge of coordinating the works of all special consultants. Professor Pekka Salminen, the founder of PES-Architects, and his design partner, architect Tuomas Silvennoinen, want to promote this type of “Design Thinking” in China.

View from top showing the Wuli Lake surrounding the building and the landscaping on the man-made peninsula (Photo: Pan Weijun)

Their argument is, that without a head designer with an overall understanding and knowledge of the entire design and construction process, the criterions for sustainable development cannot be realised. Time shows the long-lasting values of architecture. This is particularly important and acute in China, which is the largest construction site in the world and where all building projects are realised with astonishing speed.

The building as seen from the Wuli Lake Bridge (Photo: Kari Palsila)

Wuxi Grand Theatre

In 2008, PES-Architects won the first prize in the invited international architectural competition for Wuxi Grand Theatre. The other competitors were established and well-known practices from Germany, France, Japan and Denmark.

The main idea of Wuxi Grand Theatre is based on its location. The manmade peninsula on the northern shore area of Taihu Lake and the highway bridge nearby make this location comparable to that of Sydney Opera House. Due to this location the building is an impressive landmark, rising up to a total height of 50 meters like a big sculpture from the terraced base. Its eight gigantic roof wings stretch far over the facades, giving the building a character of a butterfly, while protecting the building from the heat of the sun.

The building as seen from the boat pier (Photo: Jussi Tiainen)

The architectural concept is unique: inside the steel wings are thousands of LED lights, which make it possible to change the colour of the wings according to the character of the performances. This is possible, because the underside of the wings is covered by perforated aluminium panels. Another special feature is the “forest” of 50 light columns, each 9 meter high, which start from the main entrance square, support the roof of the central lobby and continue outside of the lakeside entrance into the lake.

The main entrance foyer with the light columns, the transparent roof and the butterfly door handles on the main entrance doors. (Photo: Kari Palsila)

There is a strong Chinese feature that runs throughout the whole building: the large scale use of bamboo which is both a traditional and a modern Chinese material. Recently new methods for the production and use of bamboo have made it possible to cover the Main Opera Auditorium with over fifteen thousand solid bamboo blocks, all individually shaped according to acoustic needs and architectural image.

The lake side lobby of the main auditorium. This elevated space is providing great views over the Wuli Lake. The auditorium is accessed via bamboo balconies. The curved auditorium wall is covered with a custom designed glass brick wall. (Photo: Kari Palsila)

There is also a material with a Finnish character: almost twenty thousand specially designed glass bricks cover the curved wall of the opera auditorium in the lakeside lobby. Finnish nature, lakes and ice, were the architectural inspiration.

The glass brick wall in the main auditorium lake side lobby is made of 20.000 glass bricks with a wave pattern relating to the surrounding lake and to the curved bamboo block wall inside the auditorium. (Photo: Kari Palsila)

Earlier references of PES-Architects international projects include St Mary’s Concert Hall in Germany and Helsinki-Vantaa Airport in Finland. In China, a mix-use 192m high-rise building in is currently under construction in the city of Chengdu, the result of a first prize in an international architectural competition in 2009.

To emphasize the experience of being 8 years in China design and construction market, PES-Architects in Autumn 2011 opened the Chinese design company PES-Architects Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.

Shanghai Institute for Architectural Design and Research SIADR, Shanghai

The lake side lobby of the small auditorium. This elevated space is providing great views over the Wuli Lake. The auditorium is accessed via two levels which are connected by a suspended spiral staircase. The entrance wall to the auditorium is covered with special designed CNC cut stone blocks relating to the angulated black brick wall inside the auditorium. (Photo: Jussi Tiainen)

HVAC design Finland:

Climaconsult: Harri Ripatti

HVAC design China:

SIADR, Shanghai

Lighting design Finland:

Valoa Design: Roope Siiroinen, Marko Kuusisto

Lighting design China:

Enjoy, Shanghai

The side balcony of the small auditorium. The material for the wall is black GRG, and the balconies are made of solid bamboo. (Photo: Jussi Tiainen)

At night time the perforated wing surfaces expose the space truss structures of the wings. The color of the LED lighting is changeable so that the building has a different appearance on different performance nights. (Photo: Jussi Tiainen)